Sports

Simeone: I’d pick Neymar ahead of Mbappe

The Brazilian gets the nod from his South American counterpart because of his willingness to work

Written ByRobin Bairner

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has explained that he would pick Neymar for one of his teams before Kylian Mbappe.

The Paris Saint-Germain duo are the two most expensive players in the history of football, with Mbappe one of the game’s undoubted rising stars after helping France to World Cup success at Russia 2018.

But while the teenager continues to generate headlines, largely for positive reasons, it is the former Barcelona man who the Argentine would prefer to have among his ranks.

Asked by Cadena COPE which of the players he would prefer, Simeone replied: “Neymar. In the Barcelona team of Luis Enrique, when he needed to work, he worked. Mbappe is more individualistic and doesn’t have a definitive role. Neymar has a fixed position.”

Simeone also contrasted Antoine Griezmann, his charge at Atleti, who turned down the prospect of moving to Barcelona in the summer in favour of extending his contract at the Wanda Metropolitano, with the 19-year-old Mbappe.

“Griezmann has a different kind of game,” he said. “I read that Mbappe is more powerful and quicker than him, but Griezmann is the pilot.”